E-Paper
'Indians, including Gen-Z, want them to end terror': MEA on reports of Pakistan support for CJP protest
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India had consistently wanted Pakistan to end its sponsorship for cross-border terrorism.
India on Tuesday responded to reports claiming that Gen-Z groups in Pakistan had shown support for the student-led protests in Delhi. The ministry of external affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the focus should be on Pakistan ending state-sponsored cross-border terrorism.
“We are all aware that Pakistan has been sponsoring cross-border terrorism against India for several decades,” he said at a press briefing.
“The people of India, including Gen Z, have been demanding that Pakistan end its state-sponsored cross-border terrorism. We hope their counterparts are taking due note.”
The NEET protests
The student protests, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), began over irregularities in competitive examinations and continued at Delhi's Jantar Mantar for several weeks. The demonstrators demanded the resignation of education minister Dharmendra Pradhan due to NEET paper leak and student suicides.
The protests gained ground after the July 20 'Chalo Sansad' march when student protesters were cracked down upon by the Delhi Police. Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25, after which the CJP called off the sit-ins.
What Pakistan said
Pakistan, last week, declined to comment on the protests in India and said the demonstrations were an internal matter. Responding to a question on whether the Indian administration's handling of the protests amounted to a human rights violation, Pakistan's foreign affairs spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Islamabad would not comment on the issue.
"This is an internal matter of India. We do not offer comments on such matters," Andrabi said.
Pakistan support for CJP protests
Several Pakistani social media influencers voiced support for the CJP-led student protests in Delhi. They posted messages of solidarity and drawing parallels between the shared histories of India and Pakistan.
Among them was Pakistani influencer Bilal Hassan, who shared a video on Instagram expressing support for the protesters. "I know hate has been spread between us, but we (Pakistanis) understand every sign, every poster, every inside joke from the protest...we see ourselves in this. After all we are children of a divorce."
ALSO READ | ‘Garlanding him as if he won war with Pakistan’: Congress slams Pradhan's felicitation in Parliament
Calling the protesters "brave", Hassan added, "These are kids. They are so brave. They are just protesting for their country to have a better tomorrow. There's something beautiful about that."
The influencer, who has nearly three lakh followers on Instagram, also asked the students to remain united and cautious. "Your parents love you very much. Take risks only after thinking them through carefully. Stay united among yourselves. Don't sell yourselves out."
Hassan's post received responses from several Indian personalities, including actor Soni Razdan.
Responding to the video, Razdan wrote that Hassan's words "reach the heart" in a way that only "children of these divorced parents" could understand, thanking him for the message and sending "much love" in return.
Pakistani influencer Mahwash Ajaz also praised the student movement. She said she was particularly moved by the stories of students from economically weaker backgrounds who had joined the protests despite hardships.
Another Pakistani influencer, Ahsan Mirza, also showed solidarity with the students. "Students must always support students. We are the same. Our ancestors ate the same roti and fought the same British," he said. Mirza also asked protesters not to put their lives at risk if the situation escalated.
Several Pakistani creators also shared light-hearted videos about the protests. Some joked that "the only thing stopping" them from joining the demonstrations at Jantar Mantar was the international border. Others posted videos about trying to travel to the protest site with a Pakistani passport.
In another video, a Pakistani woman said India's Gen Z was making it difficult for her to continue hating the country.
